Take Good Care of Your Sheets

Long gone are the days when sheets were considered a minor expense — today’s bed linens are luxuriously soft with high thread counts and made from all-natural cotton. They feel great when you slip between them at night.

But this means they also can be costly and are not something you buy lightly. Take good care of them to keep them soft and satiny smooth for a good number of years.

Washing InstructionsRead the washing instructions that come with the sheets. It’s a good idea to clip them off the sheets or packaging and keep them in a notebook or file in the laundry room. This might sound finicky, but will make life easier in the long run. Be sure to indicate which set of sheets they belong to, so you can refer to them easily.

As a rule, sheets should be washed in cool or warm water. The temperature should not exceed 100 degrees F. Use less detergent than usual — about half the amount you use for soiled clothes — and wash the linen on a gentle cycle. Do not use bleach. If your washing machine has an extra rinse cycle, use it.

Dry the sheets just until dry and fold them as soon as they are done. This will keep them wrinkle-free. If you forget about them (and who doesn’t?), and they are especially wrinkled, turn the dryer on for five or 10 minutes longer. Some people recommend tossing a damp washcloth in with them during this time.

Make the BedMake up the bed about once a week with clean sheets. Consider changing the pillow cases more often. Use a mattress pad to protect the mattress and wash it at least once every two months.

If you particularly like a type of sheet or pattern, buy extra pillow cases and fitted sheets for the bed. These are the items that get the most wear and you might want to replace them at some point. Having extras prevents disappointment later on.

Cool, smooth sheets are one of life’s pleasures. Take care of them and they will take good care of you!

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